Yes
by gilmorefanforever
Summary: The line between right and wrong is blurry sometimes. The line between partners is often even more undefined. BB Oneshot.


Yes

**Disclaimer: **Bones isn't mine. Although Christmas is less than a week away. So… Oh my God! Christmas is less than a week away! I just realized that! And, um, that's really off topic. Anyway… It's not mine.

I'm not even sure where this came from, honestly. I just started typing and… this came out. So I hope it pleases you. I've never tried to do an intense fic before.

**--**

It was late at night. The majority of the Jeffersonian staff had already left, off to congratulate themselves for another case closed, another murderer found. Two partners, however, still remained in the Medico-Legal lab, deeply engrossed in the conversation they were having over Thai food.

"So you don't think she did anything wrong?" Booth challenged.

Brennan paused, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. "You're misquoting me, Booth." She set the chopsticks down and twisted so she was looking Booth in the eye. "I said that her motives were understandable, not that her way of handling the situation was correct."

"She killed a man, Bones!"

"I'm aware of that. As you might recall, I examined his remains."

Booth nodded, taking a sip of his soda. "Yes, his _remains_. Because he was shot. In the forehead. Then thrown in a river."

"You're insisting on telling me things I'm already aware of, and I'm not quite sure why."

"I'm telling you these things to make a point, Bones."

Brennan waited. When Booth didn't continue, she prompted him. "Your point being…?"

"That Alexis Fisher deserves to go to jail for killing her husband."

"Her husband that was abusing her, you mean," Brennan pointed out.

"Yes. Her husband who she should've left. Her husband that she should've called the police on. There was no reason for her to kill him." He took a deep breath before proceeding. "Killing someone should be a… last resort. If someone is holding a gun on you. If it's to defend someone else you care about."

"If it's to defend your country," Brennan added with a nod.

Hurt flashed through Booth's eyes. "That felt slightly pointed, Bones."

Brennan's eyes, which had been turned to her food, met his. "It wasn't meant to be. I was merely trying to understand your train of thought."

Booth flipped the subject quickly. "Murderers deserve life in prison, Bones. End of story."

"That's a very simplistic way of thinking, Booth! You're looking at the situation in black and white, when really it's grayer in color. Alexis felt trapped. She wasn't thinking rationally! He was hurting her, and she didn't think it would end."

"I can't believe this is coming from you, the queen of logical thought."

"Well, it is."

Booth sighed and looked at the watch on his wrist. "It's getting late. I should go home."

"It can't be after 10:30!" Brennan argued. "And you haven't even finished your food."

"I'm tired." He stood and began to walk away, but Brennan followed close behind.

"You know, Booth, if you walk away every time we disagree, we'll rarely occupy the same room anymore!"

Booth stopped, and then turned on his heel so that he was facing Brennan. "Maybe you should've thought about that before."

Brennan, startled by the intensity of his gaze, took a few steps backwards. "Before what?"

"As if you don' know."

She did know. Very well. "Booth, you can't—"

"I can't what, Bones?" She didn't answer.

He edged closer, and in return, she stepped farther and farther away from him until her back was against the cold wall of the hallway. Her heartbeat was erratic, and oxygen seemed impossible to come by. He smiled.

"Something wrong, Bones?"

Shaking her head slowly, she gave a half-chuckle half-gasp for air. "You're standing… very close to me."

As if to spite her, he took another small step forward. "And is that a problem?"

"No. Yes. I'm not sure."

His left hand rested on the wall next to her head, and he ran his right through his hair. "I told you I'm in love with you, Bones."

Her eyes closed. "I remember."

"You didn't answer."

Opening her eyes, she nodded. "I remember that as well."

This time it was Booth who waited for more, also in vain. "Why haven't you answered me, Bones? It's been a week. We've been together every day, working on this case. Were you waiting for me to hit my head so I forget it all?"

"You caught me off guard, Booth!" Brennan defended. "And with the case, I was distracted…"

"I 'caught you off guard'? Bones… I thought you knew. Everyone else seems to."

"It was so sudden," Brennan choked out. "I didn't know what to say, I still don't. You were intoxicated!"

"Tipsy," Booth corrected.

"In my experience, when someone is inebriated, they don't acknowledge just how drunk they are. So, I'm not even sure if you meant what you said or if you just—"

"I think the fact that I'm bringing it up now is an indicator that I meant it."

_They were celebrating a birthday. For Lance Sweets, of all people. The young psychiatrist had really become a part of the team. When the guest of honor entered, Booth handed him two candles._

_"For your cake," he offered. _

_Sweets took the candles, a three and a one, and stared at them. "Well, thank you, Agent Booth, but um… I'm not turning thirty-one." _

"_Oh, I know." Booth took the candles back and flipped them. "Congrats on finally becoming a teenager, Sweets! I'm so proud of you." Then he walked away, and Sweets shook his head._

_"Thanks, Booth."_

_After leaving Sweets, Booth found his partner sitting alone at the counter, and flopped down on the stool next to her. "All by your lonesome, huh?"_

"_I'm observing," she said. Booth shook his head._

"_You don't observe at parties, Bones. You… party." _

_Brennan laughed. "That's exactly what Angela said when she was over here a few minutes ago. Well, actually, she said 'Bren, get your ass up and socialize!' But I assume that's what she meant." _

"_Angela was right. But I suppose I can't force you to do anything. At least you've got the drinking part down." He gestured to the glass in front of her. "How many is that?"_

_"This is my second," she answered.  
_

_Booth nodded. "Well, I guess it's time to start catching up." He gestured for the man behind the counter, and ordered a drink. _

_Four drinks and forty minutes of idle conversation later, Booth grinned at Brennan. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?" _

"_I was under the impression you were talking to me about something." _

"_No, I was talking to you about nothing. This something is well… something. Something important. Something that I've been thinking about talking to you about for awhile. And I think now's the time! So—" _

"_You're babbling. Just blow it out, Booth." _

"_Spit it out…" he corrected automatically. "And I can't tell you in here."  
_

"_Then why did you say that you wanted to tell me something?" _

"_Because I do. Can we go outside?" _

"_If you insist… Booth, you're acting rather oddly. Should I be worrying about your alcohol consumption?" _

"_Nah, I'm fine. Let's go." _

_Booth jumped to his feet and strode towards the door, Brennan following with a concerned look on her face. When they stepped out into the cool autumn night, she stared expectantly. _

_And Booth kissed her. _

_When he pulled away, he winced. "Okay. I didn't want to molest you. Probably not the best way to start this conversation. But hey, actions speak louder than words, right?" _

_Brennan was stunned. All she could manage to say was, "Actions can't speak at all." _

_Booth chuckled. "You always take things so literally, Bones. That's one of the things I love about you." _

_Brennan's eyes widened. Did he just say…? _

"_Wow, you look confused," Booth said. "Yeah, I just said love. And not that weird 'hey, you're my best friend, I love you like a sister' way. Although with the way you apparently kiss your brother… I mean, there was _tongue_! That's probably not the best thing to bring up right now, huh? Okay. My point is," he took a deep breath. "I, Seeley Booth, am in love with you, Temperance Brennan." _

_Silence followed his declaration. Brennan opened and closed her mouth a few times, but words were not close to leaving it. _

"_Bones… um… say something. Please. Anything. I'm not even sure if you're still breathing." _

_Brennan agreed with that sentiment. She herself was wondering if she was still breathing, if her heart was still beating. Her thoughts were muddled together, partially by the alcohol she had consumed, and partially by shock. She tried to begin a reply. "Booth, I—"  
_

_The door to the diner opened. "Do you two always sneak out here?" Angela asked. "I swear you always abandon us. Hurry up and get back in here, we're cutting the cake!" _

"_I am going to get some cake," Brennan finished lamely. "Coming?" Without waiting for an answer, she ran inside. _

_Booth watched her walk away, wondering if he had just made a mistake. _

"You're not getting out of it this time, you know," Booth said. "I mean, no one's here to interrupt, so the only way of ending this conversation is to knock me out." Brennan didn't say anything. "Oh come on, Bones. Are you really considering it?"

"No. I'm just thinking. Can I have a moment to think?"

"You mean a moment plus that week you had? Sure, go right ahead."

"That's not fair, Booth."

"Sorry if I'm a little impatient. But for the past seven days I have been just waiting for you to randomly slap me or something. I have no idea if you're angry at me, if you feel remotely the same way, if—"

"We're partners," she pointed out, cutting him off.

"Stunning observation, Dr. Brennan."

She glared at him. "We work together in high risk situations."

"Didn't you yell at me for this earlier? Telling you what you already knew?"

"You and I are exactly the kind of people you once said couldn't get involved personally. That there's a line between."

"I did say that, didn't I?"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "Yes, you did."

He shrugged. "Changed my mind. Consider the line erased."

Brennan's eyes widened. "You can't just… it's not that easy, Booth!"

"Why not, Bones? It's not like it was ever really there in the first place. I mean, we already have a personal relationship. A very personal relationship."

"So," she said. "What you're saying is…"

"It's stupid to try to deny this anymore. If you're not satisfied with the way it came out the first time, fine. I love you. You are the world to me. And you know what, Bones? I'm convinced you feel the same way. So all you need to do is say yes."

Brennan didn't answer at first. All she did was lean against the wall behind her and stare at her partner. Booth stared back, desperately hoping he would hear what he wanted. Finally, Brennan's opened her mouth.

"Yes."

**--**

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